Growth & Jobs | Project STAR’s training, employment opportunities lift Rose Gardens community

More than J$1.8 million in startup support has already been invested through Project STAR’s nano grant programme, a major highlight shared at the Project STAR Town Hall Meeting held in the Rose Garden community, recently.

Now three years into its intervention in the community, Project STAR continues to expand opportunities for residents by pairing financial support with comprehensive skills and workforce training.

Akieme Wilson, business development and financial inclusion officer at Project STAR emphasised that the nano grant investment is not simply cash support, but the culmination of an integrated process that includes business development training, mentorship, and hands on guidance.

“The programme equips participants to refine their business ideas, understand operating costs, identify customers, and develop sustainable business models. The grant helps residents bridge the gap between concept and operation, providing tools, equipment, materials and supplies needed to formally launch micro enterprises,” he explained.

Residents have already begun benefiting from the startup push, with the programme placing essential equipment into the hands of tradespeople and small business owners.

One such beneficiary was highlighted during the Town Hall, a skilled worker who previously relied on external workshops to complete jobs. With new equipment received through the nano grant, he is now able to work independently, reduce delays, and retain more of his earnings.Project STAR entered Rose Garden three years ago, responding to community identified priorities such as unemployment, weak family structures, and the need for youth development. Wilson reiterated that the transformation underway “didn’t start with us, it started with you,” noting that the residents themselves helped shape each intervention.

These interventions are led under Project STAR’s wider social and economic development framework, designed to address issues ranging from parenting and family stability to job readiness and income generation.

BUILDING SKILLS, LINKING RESIDENTS TO EMPLOYMENT

Training remains one of the strongest pillars of the programme. To date, more than 130 residents in Rose Gardens have completed job readiness initiatives, including two week training intensives, production workforce training and job fairs held in partnership with entities such as the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

As a result, over 100 residents have been placed in jobs, with several personal success stories emerging. One participant, now employed at a hotel for nearly three years, described the experience as “life changing,” giving her confidence and the ability to provide for her children.

However, Kelly Griffith, training and employment lead at Project STAR acknowledged ongoing challenges, such as residents struggling with workplace stress, interview readiness, or job retention. To fill these gaps, Project STAR expanded support by partnering with agencies like the National Council for Drug Abuse and Restorative Justice to train residents in stress management, conflict resolution, and emotional resilience.

Additionally, new skills training courses, covering customer service, administrative support, and caregiving are scheduled to launch soon, following delays in earlier implementation attempts.

Young people remain at the centre of the programme’s long term strategy. Griffith detailed progress in the High School Pathways to Success initiative, which supports fifth and sixth form students through career education camps and business simulations. Project STAR has begun working with Kingston Technical High School and is expanding partnerships with other institutions.

Youth entrepreneurship was also spotlighted, with school aged participants engaging in training delivered through Junior Achievement Jamaica. Students learned the fundamentals of turning business ideas into operational ventures, part of the effort to expose young residents to entrepreneurship early.

The town hall meeting resonated the message of partnership and empowerment. Presenters stressed that Rose Garden residents are not passive beneficiaries, but co creators of the progress seen so far.

“These interventions are already creating real impact strengthening business ideas, encouraging innovation, building youth awareness, and supporting income generation,” Wilson said, adding that this is “only the beginning” of what the community can achieve.